Legal threat to Portugal cuts January 2, 2013 PORTUGAL’S austerity budget faces a legal challenge after the country’s President yesterday referred the plans to the nation’s supreme court. Aníbal Cavaco Silva wants to ensure cuts to pensions and public sector pay are constitutional because they do not affect all citizens. If the legal challenge is successful the Portuguese government could be forced to [...]
Senior judges rule CRB checks are a breach of human rights January 29, 2013 THE Court of Appeal yesterday ruled that the law forcing people to disclose all previous criminal convictions in job applications is a breach of human rights. The court said legal requirements forcing people to reveal convictions turned up by a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check to prospective employers was not “compatible” with article 8 of [...]
Back-to-work scheme ruled illegal by court February 12, 2013 THE GOVERNMENT’S back-to-work programme was thrown into disarray yesterday after a judge ruled that many schemes that make the unemployed work for free are unlawful. Graduate Cait Reilly, 24, claimed victory after the Court of Appeal ruled that a programme she took part in – which required her to undertake work experience at Poundland or risk [...]
Vodafone faced with $2.5bn tax demand from Indian authorities January 7, 2013 VODAFONE’S tax dispute with the Indian government has escalated, with the country’s authorities repeating calls for the telecoms giant to pay $2.5bn (£1.6bn) India claims it is owed. The company said this weekend that Indian tax authorities had sent a reminder to Vodafone, demanding it pay the sum, relating to 2007’s purchase of Hutchison Whampoa’s [...]
German bank’s £500m blunder over F1 shares February 11, 2013 ONE of Germany’s most bailed-out banks turned down the chance to make hundreds of millions of pounds in profits by buying a 10 per cent stake in Formula One at a bargain price of £63.3m ($100m), according to recently released legal filings. The purchase would have yielded a profit of more than £500m for German [...]
Ryanair appeal over Aer Lingus bid hit by court rejection in UK December 13, 2012 EUROPE’S largest budget carrier, Ryanair, yesterday lost its appeal to block an investigation into its near-30 per cent stake in rival Aer Lingus. The UK’s Court of Appeal ruled that it is within the jurisdiction of the Competition Commission (CC) to investigate Ryanair’s ownership. The CC is investigating the case after the Office of Fair [...]
SocGen loses bonuses lawsuit December 19, 2012 Societe Generale has lost a high-profile lawsuit against a fired London-based investment banker that could cost France’s second-largest bank up to €20m (£16.3m). The UK Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Belgian banker Raphael Geys, SocGen’s former managing director of European fixed income sales in London, had been sacked without proper notice in 2007. “The bank [...]
City Moves for 22 January 2013 | Who’s switching jobs January 21, 2013 Mayer Brown The law firm has appointed Alistair Graham as a litigation partner in its London office. He joins from White & Case, where he was a partner in its London commercial litigation practice. Graham has previously worked as enforcement counsel to the FSA, where he assisted in the run up to the introduction of [...]
US court rules against Disney in Celador case December 4, 2012 WHO Wants to Be a Millionaire? producer Celador International yesterday cleared another legal hurdle in its bid to get US media giant Walt Disney to pay damages in a long running legal dispute over broadcast fees. A US circuit court yesterday threw out an appeal by Walt Disney against a 2010 jury decision backing the [...]
Where to Drink July 28, 2013 TOAST the arrival of the Royal Baby at one of London’s new bars and clubs. Ascend to the rarefied heights of Aqua Shard, where it’s claimed a generous amount of space for its standalone lounge bar. Situated in a three storey atrium with immense windows bathing the room in light, it’s the perfect place to [...]